PubChem CID · CC0
/ COMPOUND
butyric acid
PubChem CID 264Formula C4H8O2MW 88.1132 food sources
Cooking relevance
Butanoic acid (PubChem CID 264) is a short-chain fatty acid that contributes pungent, sour, and slightly rancid notes to fermented and aged foods. It develops during bacterial fermentation and fat breakdown, particularly in aged cheeses and fermented dairy products. Its sharp, vinegary character influences the overall flavor profile of these foods, though it is typically present in small concentrations.
- aroma
- pungent · sour · slightly rancid · vinegary
- culinary role
- byproduct of fermentation and fat oxidation in aged dairy; contributes to tangy, complex flavor
- mass spectra
- 7 verified
Research associations
Literature-derived · peer-reviewed sources only · not medical advice
adenocarcinoma
anxiety disorders
body weight changes
colonic diseases
disease models, animal
dysbiosis
dyslipidemias
fatty liver
hearing loss
insulin resistance
Foods containing this compound
Source
Compound data linked to PubChem CID 264, public domain via NCBI. Culinary context + ingredient mappings are maintained by Foodgeist's enrichment fleet and continuously re-matched by the pairings engine. PubChem CID 264
